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NBA Picks

NBA Picks: Thunder vs. Pistons NBA Betting Preview

Scott Brooks’ squad heads north for Friday’s NBA betting, visiting the Detroit Pistons. What are the best NBA betting options for this hardcourt affair?

The Oklahoma City
Thunder cashed their first ATS ticket with Wednesday’s 107-93 win over the
Dallas Mavericks, cruising as seven-point home ‘chalk.’

Thunder, Durant surge past Mavs

Thunder forward Kevin
Durant notched his second straight double-double in his club’s victory,
finishing with team-highs of 23 points and 10 assists. Durant’s frontcourt mate
Serge Ibaka came away with 13 rebounds, leading his club to edge the Mavericks
in boards, 44-36.

Oklahoma City’s Russell
Westbrook hit 10-of-20 field buckets en route to 22 points, while logging two
of his side’s 10 steals. Ibaka added three blocks, with the contest’s combined
200 points sliding UNDER the ‘total’ of 210.

OKC sank 16-of-23 free
throws, while Westbook and center Steven Adams were both called for technical
fouls. The Thunder outscored Dallas in all four quarters, with both clubs
uniting to drain 14-of-36 shots from three-point land.

Pistons fall to Indiana

Detroit has been idle
since Tuesday’s 99-91 home defeat to the Indiana Pacers, failing to collect as
a one-point favorite. The Pistons allowed Indiana to connect from the floor at
a 52.1 percent clip, trailing by as many as 19 points.

Pistons big man Greg
Monroe put up 14 points en route to 10 rebounds, coming away with his third
double-double in four games. Detroit’s Josh Smith united with Monroe for five
blocks, while the duo’s mate Brandon Jennings notched team-highs of 17 points
and six assists.

The battle’s combined
190 points jumped above the ‘total’ of 185 ½, lifting the OVER to 2-1 in the
Pistons’ three home dates. Detroit was held to a 37.9 percent night of field
shooting, including a meager 5-for-25 clip beyond the arc.

Back the OVER on Friday

Oklahoma City opened as
a 2 ½-point road favorite on Bet365’s NBA odds board, while the shop first set
the ‘total’ at 196 ½. Early wagers on the Thunder and UNDER saw both numbers
move a hook to three and 196, respectively.

I am adding the OVER in
this contest to Friday’s sports picks, looking for some sparks in Auburn Hills.

Oklahoma City has
notched 105 PPG in its pair of matchups with Westbrook in the lineup, picking
up its momentum since last Friday’s 100-81 road setback against the Minnesota
Timberwolves. Kevin Durant has topped the NBA’s scoring with 27.8 PPG, while
mate Jeremy Lamb has reached double figures in two of his last three games off
the bench.

Detroit’s sole matchup
against a Western Conference foe saw the Pistons give up 51.9 percent field
shooting to the Memphis Grizzlies in last Friday’s 111-108 overtime loss.
Pistons mates Greg Monroe and Josh Smith have both notched 17.3 PPG, ranking
the duo among the East’s leading 20 scorers.

Andre Drummond has
quietly connected a sizable 57.9 percent from the floor for Detroit, while Will
Bynum (4.5 APG)and Chauncey Billups (3.5 APG) have set up their share of
scoring strikes. Look for Detroit to have their share of chances, while OKC
lights up the “Motor City.”